Explosive projectile.



N0. 627,6". Patented June 27, I899. F. BURGER.

EXPLOSIVE PROJEGTILE.

(Application filed Apr. 5, 1898.)

"No Model.)

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FRANZ BURGER, or FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR or THREE-FOURTHS TO HENRYM. WILLIAMS, or SAME PLACE.

EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,611, dated June 27,1899.

Application filed April 5, 1898. Serial No. 676,548. (No model.)

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements .inprojectiles for containing dynamite or other high-explosive compounds ormixtures, having for its object to provide a projectile which may beimpelled from a gun at a high velocity without danger of exploding thecompound or mixture in the projectile before it reaches its point ofdestination; and with this object in View the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of the partshereinafter more particularly described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical sectionalview of a projectile embodying the invention, and'Fig. 2 is a similarview of a modification. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the plugadapted to the end of the projectile.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A designates the outercasing or shell of the projectile, which maybe formed of any suitablematerial or combination of materials and made in two or more pieces.Preferably, however, the shell is formed of steel and consists of abodyl and a separable pointed end or cap 2, provided centrally with acircular The passage 3 communicates with a chamber 4, formed in the bodyof the shell, and in its outer end it is preferably provided with a plug5, having a contracted opening 6 extending longitudinally through it.The plug 5 is provided with external threads and is adapted to bescrewed into and to be adjusted in the passage 3. The purpose of thiswill presently appear.

Within the chamber 4 of the shell is a hollow piston 7, in which iscontained the explosive compound. This piston may be formed in one, two,or more pieces. As shown, it is formed with a removable end 8, screwedinto the main body thereof and adapted to be re moved to facilitate theintroduction of the explosive into the chamber of the piston.

The piston 7 is of less length than the chamber of the shell Withinwhich it is adapted to move, there being normally a space upon oppositeends of the piston, and said piston fits into the chamber tightly enoughto prevent air escaping from one end thereof to the other which undercertain conditions is adapted to enter and close or partiallyclose saidpassage, and while said 'rod may be formed integral with the piston itis preferred to form it separate therefrom and screw it into a threadedopening in the end of the said piston.

Assuming now the projectile to be placed within a gun with the piston 7and its rod in the position indicated in full lines in the drawings,immediately the gun is fired the sudden impulse imparted to the shell orcasing causes the piston to shift its position within the chamber 4,compressing the air in the rear end thereof and assuming the positionindicated by the dotted lines. The air in this end of the cylinder notonly acts as a cushion to relieve the piston of the sudden shock causedby the explosion of the charge of the gun, but also serves to preventits making contact with the rear wall of the shell. The opening in therear end of the shell is of course too small to permit any considerablevolume of the gases generated by the explosion within the gun to enterthe chambert, as this would cause the piston to be forced forward andbring the end of the rod 9 into contact with the plug 5, resulting inthe premature explosion of the compound or mixture within the piston.The opening is, however, sufficiently large to permit a sufficientquantity of gases to enter the chamber to prevent the cylinder f ronimaking contact with the rear wall thereof. In shifting its positiontoward the rear end of the chamber 4 the rod 9 of the piston iswithdrawn from the passage 3 and air is drawn into the front end of thechamber, and if by any chance after leaving the bore of the gun theexpansion of the air in the rear end of the chamber should be so violentand sudden as to force the piston toward the front of the shell the rod9 will be caused to reenter the passage 3 and trap or partially trap theair in the front end of the shell, which air will be compressed by thefurther forward movement of the piston and serves to resist saidmovement, the air in the rear end of the shell in the meantime beingallowed to escape through the opening 6 until the pressure upon bothsides of the piston becomes equalized.

There are certain explosives which will explode by the violentimpact oftheir retainingreceptacle with an object and others which can only beexploded by means of a percussion-cap, fulminate, or a detonator. Whenthe former class of explosive compounds is employed in the improvedprojectile, the plug 5 may be dispensed with and the rod 9 may fitclosely the passage 3 to prevent either the ingress or egress of air toor from the front end of the chamber 4, as the impact of the projectileagainst an object will be sufficient to explode the charge in the pistonnotwithstanding the presence of air in front of the piston. WVhen,however, the latter class of explosives are to be used, the rod 9 isadapted to move with the piston 7 as well as to move relative thereto, afulminate 12 being interposed between the inner end of the rod and abearing 13, formed in the end of the piston. The rod,too, in thisconstruction is slightly less in diameter than the passage 3, and whilethe rapid escape of air from the front end is not permitted when theprojectile strikes an object all of the air in front of the piston willbe forced from in front of the piston by the violence of the impact,causing the end of the rod to be brought into forcible contact with theinner end of the plug, which will result in the ignition of thefulminate and the consequent explosion of the compound within thepiston.

From the foregoing it will be manifest that a simple and efficientprojectile is provided adapted to contain the most powerful andsensitive explosive compounds and one which may be fired from a gun withperfect safety and without danger of premature explosion.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofthe parts shown and described, what I claim is 1. In an explosiveprojectile, the combination of a shell provided with a chamber andhaving openings in or adjacent to its front and rear ends, and a hollowpiston or receptacle adapted to move longitudinally in the chamber ofthe shell, said piston being provided with a chamber for containing anexplosive compound or mixture, substantially as described.

2. In an explosive projectile, the combina-- tion of a shell providedwith a chamber and having a passage in its front end, a piston orreceptacle freely movable longitudinally in the chamber in oppositedirections, said piston being providedwith a chamber for containing anexplosive compound or mixture, and a rod or plunger adapted to enter thepassage of the shell, substantially as described.

3. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a shell provided witha chamber and having a passage in its front end, an adjustableplug insaid passage havinga longitudi nal opening, a piston or receptaclelongitudinally movable in the chamber of the shell, said piston beingprovided with a chamber for containing an explosive compound or mixtureand having a rod or plunger adapted to enter the passage of the shelland make contact with the end of the plug therein, substanti ally asdescribed.

4. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a shell provided witha chamber, and having openings in its front and rear ends, and a pistonor receptacle movable longitudinally in the chamber, said piston beingprovided with a chamber for containing an explosive compound or mixture,substantially as described.

5. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a shell provided witha chamber and having an opening at or near its front end, a piston orreceptacle freely movable longitu dinallyin-the chamber in oppositedirections, said piston being provided with a chamber for containing anexplosive com pound or mixture, and means for throttling the opening ofthe shell to retard the forward movement of the piston when it reaches apredetermined point, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANZ BURGER.

Vitnesses:

Gno. K. TORRENOE, HENRY W. J. AIKINs.

